The bill that would grant President Obama trade promotion authority (fast track) is in for markup today. That refers to the process where the initial bill is modified, re-written and amended before it comes up for a vote. Although the bipartisan sponsorship is encouraging, passage is still an uphill fight.
The Environmental investigation Agency uses the techniques of investigative journalism to document evidence of illegal wildlife trade. It is one of the most effective easy of stemming the global tragedy that is wiping out treasured species.
The European Union has accused Russian gas giant Gazprom of anticompetitive practices as the EU issues formal charges against the firm.
In a further sign of intensifying tension between the EU and Russia, the EU said it would pursue charges that Gazprom has acted illegally according to EU rules.
In a press release, the EU said that the European Commission sees Gazprom breaking competition rules in order to fragment gas markets in Central and Eastern Europe, enabling Gazprom “to charge unfair prices in certain Member States.”
Today, there have been several fundamental developments encouraging the dollar’s slippage. Japan reported its first trade monthly trade surplus in nearly three years; further easing of rate cut expectations by Australia; BOE minutes warning of a faster pass through of a sterling’s depreciation on inflation; and the German government revised its 2015 GDP to 1.8% from 1.5%.
The economy is taking centre stage in the UK election, with the main parties spending most of their time arguing over the speed and extent of cuts – and which party would be more “fiscally responsible”.
But the fundamental (and of course related) issue that has received less airtime is that of growth. Given poor growth since the financial crisis, this should be an area of focus for any party claiming that management of the economy is a priority.
In the official count, the country tallies up 135 different ‘national races’. The majority Bamar people, who drive national expectations of language, culture and politics, make up around 60 percent of the population. The minority groups, most with their own distinct tongues, customs and clothes, make up the rest.
An element links the terrible human tragedy in the Mediterranean and the ongoing Greek crisis. It is Europe’s over-emphasis on moral hazard.
Moral hazard is the idea that people will act irresponsibly if they do not have to bear the consequences. No doubt, the concept offers valuable insight, up to a point. The problem lies with its excessive reliance.
The US dollar is extending yesterday’s gains but remains well within ranges that have confined the greenback for more than a month now. There are two main catalysts.
First NY Fed President Dudley reaffirmed the idea that the Federal Reserve has a tightening bias. It is looking to raise rates. It wants the data to provide a suitable opportunity. It still sees Q1 weakness as largely transitory and anticipates such an opportunity to arise later this year.
The ‘China threat theory’ is once again in vogue, as US President Barack Obama pushes to overcome domestic resistance to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
The Chinese authorities last met with representatives of the Tibetan exile leadership five years ago. Since then, there has been no progress towards a resolution of the China–Tibetan dispute. Meanwhile, protests against Chinese rule have continued, with over a hundred self-immolations by Tibetans. The Chinese government has responded with tighter controls on movement, worship, speech and information in Tibetan areas, together with increased mechanisms for surveillance. However, the reason for the failure to resolve the issue is not tensions on the ground.
